1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to laser-producing collimated x-radiation via impingement of optically-peaked laser radiation onto a metallic ion target.
2. State of the Art
Since the first reported Light Amplification of Stimulated Emission of Radiation (laser action in the visible spectrum) in approximately 1960, continuous progress has been made by various researchers in obtaining laser action at shorter and shorter wavelengths. It has long been felt that an x-ray laser could be developed that would radiate at x-ray wavelengths of less than 5 Angstrom units. X-radiation at these wavelengths is often referred to as a "warm" x-ray and, as such, would travel significant distances through the air.
The potential uses for such "warm" x-radiation having the laser characteristic of being collimated are significant. For example, it may be possible for a physician to foresee the use of a highly collimated x-ray beam as a selective scalpel for use in various types of surgery. Both the chemist and biologist could possibly use x-ray holography as a means for following time dependent three dimensional phenomena at a submicroscopic level. Similarly, the genetic researcher could potentially modify a part of a gene and immediately review said gene to determine if that part had truly been modified. The designer of microcircuitry who presently uses a visible laser to produce a 1.0 centimeter square integrated circuit could theoretically use an x-ray laser to put the sane circuit on a 10.0 micrometer-sized device. Additionally, the interaction of intense coherent x-ray pulses with nuclei could provide valuable new information of interest to physicists.
Potentially, with the use of such "warm" coherent x-radiation, one skilled in the arts of these disciplines could perform such tasks without having to resort to elaborate vacuum systems and thus could operate in ambient air, when appropriate.
One system previously explored for the general purposes of the invention is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,312 of Kepros et al. This system, however, achieved only low power sustainable laser beams as only transmitting high peaks of energy under generally unpredictable and uncontrolled conditions.